The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) staffers demonstrated in airports across the country yesterday protesting the authority's perusal of a separate airport security force comprised of civil and military personnel.

Carrying banners, the staffers organised demonstrations in front of their headquarters in Dhaka as well as at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram, Osmani International Airport in Sylhet, Hazrat Shah Makhdum International Airport in Rajshahi, Cox's Bazar Airport, Saidpur Airport and Jashore Airport.

On March 10, 2025, a proposal was made to the CAAB chairman, floating the idea of a new security outfit called "Bangladesh Airport Security Force".

According to the proposal, prepared by CAAB's security department, 70 percent of the people from the new force would be recruited from the air force, while 30 percent would be recruited from civilian staffers. A total of 10,632 people would be recruited for the new security body. 

The proposed security force would be headed by an air vice marshall or an air commodore, given the status of a director general, according to the proposal.

Maintaining the force would cost the Civil Aviation Tk 397 crore, shows the project proposal budget.

A petition given to the chairman by the protesters yesterday demanded that CAAB immediately cease all proceedings to form this new paramilitary force.

CAAB Chairman Air Vice Marshal Md Monjur Kabir Bhuiyan verbally backtracked on the decision in the face of the protests.

"A proposal for a separate airport security force was placed before us, but we are yet to take any steps about it," he told The Daily Star.

The proposal recommended the formation of a new security force, saying there are security lapses across various areas of the airport.

"Even though Aviation Security (AvSec) is currently controlling and providing security to the airport terminals, there is scope to increase security across some sensitive locations, such as the boundary wall, the fuel depot, the communication control systems, controlling access airside, cargo transport and others," said the proposal.

"At the moment, people are brought in on deputation from other organisations making it difficult to responsibly provide security," it said.

It said that AVSEC is not "entirely successful" in providing security to these areas, and suggested that the new organisation will act as a supplementary body to AVSEC.

Petitioners on the other hand, demanded the de-militarisation of AVSEC.

In 2016, people from the disciplined forces were deployed to AVSEC for a temporary period "in aid to civil power", but their stays have been extended multiple times such that they have become permanent, said the statement given by the protesters.

They demanded a clear cut-off date by which people from the disciplined forces been to be pulled out of AVSEC.

AVSEC and the Airport Armed Police Battalion have been involved in a dispute over the past months over security responsibilities at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.